The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-05-14
A THEOLOGICAL BOIL" AND AN
INTERROGATION POINT.

REV. DIR. J. M. WILTON has an arti-
Gle in the current issue of the Christian
Union, on the $50 called AndoverQ ues-
tion," which passes the noted contro-
veTsy in review to the present time,
and also traces some of the antecedent
controversies, of which it is the legiti-
mate offspring, The article is very
clear and intelligent, and is written by
one who, while in sympathy with the
general drift of the discussion, is also
aware of its logical relations to the
faith Of the orthodox churches, and can
see wherein it is only the beginning of
a movement, which in time, may lead
to more important results than those
originally contemplated by the Andover
professors. We shall soon make room
for that portion of the article which
explains the questions and controver-
sizes which led up to the present discus
sions of Progressive Orthodoxy, involv-
ing this Andover matter, which DR..
Wilton regards as "a transient boil"
on "the surface of the everfowing, ever
growing current Of Christian thought"
rising as ian effect from questions
raised long SINCE" and which will I'M
doubtedIy ''give birth to others that
will take its place"
DR.. Wilton is quite plain in his esti-
mate of the Andover question as only
the beginning of theological sorrows in
the Congregational church. His figure
of the transient boil'' is suggestive.
We know how troublesome such things
are on the physical body; this partic-
ular boil is already causing great suffer
ing and inconvenience, as we know, on
the Congregational surface; and DR..
Wilton is well aware that it results
from the effort of the doctrinal blood
to purify itself-a bad outbreak of in
ternal disorders, displaying itself in
this inconvenient manner. He sees
very plainly that it may require consid-
cradle publication of the doctrinal life
currents of the Congregational church
to prevent these occasional outbreaks,
and evidently expects them to continue
in some form until the final purifca-
tion is effected. The writer also recog-
nizes the fact that the Andover matter
has not yet reached its full develop
ment. On this point he says: SIT can
''only be observed that, as it ends just
nov with an interrogation point, it has
mot yet obtained its full development.
"Of this, therefore, some forecast is
proper, for, as Touchstone said,
"'There is much virtue in an IT, The
"Andover If, however, so far from be-
Sing "a peacemaker,' has proved po-
"lemic, and as repellent as very Poly
''phemus, TO such as doubt 'whereunto
''the thing will grow There are not
"a few, even of those to whom the An
"dover hypothesis in it's cautious phrase
"ology is not repugnant, who contem-
''plate it with some anxiety lest, if it
compel them to go mile, they must
Ego with it twain"
1t is interesting to notice how clear
sighted DR.. Wilton is on the possible
growth of this troublesome hypoth
esis which be describes as ending in an
interrogation point. He is evidently
not afraid to set forth the logical neces-
stiles which surround the case, and
proceeds to show wherein the said n.y.
pothesis involves certain consequences
which must be recognised before the
question is definitely settled. We place
before our readers, with satisfaction,
DR.. Whiton's observations on this par
ticular point:
"For if the ultimate destiny of any
heather is to be determined by their
acceptance or rejection in the future
world of the Redeemer first presented to
them there, will not others have to be
admitted in our theory to an equal bene-
fit, who have never been classified as
'heathenY How many in Christian lands
have never heard the pure Gospel of the
Son OF Godl Multitudes, who have nom-
inally heard of Christ, have heard of him
nominally only, have never had him,
rather than theory or a caricature of
him, presented to their conscience in his
grace and truth. What was that presen-
tation Of Christ to the great mass of the
people really worth which in Italy and
France and Spain has driven the majority
of cultivated minds into skepticism?
The church which resorted in Catholic
countries to the dragonnades and the
auto da fe, and in Protestant countries
was either convulsed with the bitter
hatreds of rival sects, as in Germany and
Holland, or, as in England, tolerated
loose living in its clergy while persecut-
ing Puritan reformers and Methodist re-
vivalists, can hardly be said to have pre-
scented Christ TO the people in any evan
gelic way. II such ministry of redemp-
ton were really the utmost of divine
grace allotted to the populations for
which those churches were put in trust
with the Gospel, it might have been better
for them to have been born among the
beathen. To whom our AndOyer friends